The three-day East African Community (EAC) ministerial retreat that started on July 6 in Zanzibar, Tanzania, concluded Monday with delegates acknowledging that the viable path to sustainable peace and security in volatile eastern DR Congo is "through a political process,” a related communique states.
As noted, the ministers "recommended the convening of a summit of EAC Heads of State to revitalize the political track of the EAC-led Nairobi process in reciprocal coordination with the Luanda process.”
Earlier, on Sunday, Rwanda&039;s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, noted in a post on X, that the meeting took place in a constructive and solution-oriented spirit, with Rwandan and Congolese ministers, demonstrating good will, and underscoring the need for a political solution to the crisis in eastern DR Congo.
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According to Nduhungirehe, there was "direct engagement and frank discussion” in the morning between him, Minister of State in charge of Regional Cooperation James Kabarebe, and DR Congo Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Gracia Yamba Kazadi. The morning session, pictures of which Nduhungirehe also shared on X, was "facilitated by Tanzania and South Sudan,” the two co-chairs of the EAC Ministerial Retreat, in the presence of ministers from Uganda and Kenya, and the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of political affairs.
"In this regard, concrete decisions were taken to reinvigorate Luanda and Nairobi peace processes,” Nduhungirehe noted.
‘Not so fast’
But the immediate response from Kinshasa, on X, did not seem to suggest that all was well.
"Not so fast, @onduhungirehe,” read a quick X response from the Congolese foreign ministry, which went on to explain that "during the ministerial retreat, a consultative and non-decisional framework of the EAC, our” Vice Minister Gracia Yamba delivered a very clear message.
Kinshasa’s message had three elements. It reiterated the importance "of the Luanda process for addressing tensions with Rwanda”; an allegation that the grave human suffering and displacement [of civilians] "is due to the violent actions of the Rwandan army and M23 rebels, not local armed groups”; and that "the EAC ministerial retreat does not replace the AU, which mandated the Luanda process.”
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Early last year, African Union Commission Chairperson Amb. Moussa Faki Mahamat noted that the continent was banking on the regional peace efforts – the EAC-led Nairobi peace process and the Luanda process – to resolve the security crisis in eastern DR Congo.
At the time, the mediation of AU under the leadership of Angola continued to provide support to "the concerned parties” while former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was in charge of conducting the Nairobi peace process, prepared dialogues between the Congolese government and the active rebel movements in the region. It was then hoped that the two African mechanisms would resolve the crisis and demonstrate that only peaceful solutions initiated by Africans can address the crises and conflicts on the continent.
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The resurgence of the M23 rebellion has overshadowed the presence of more than 200 armed groups – including FDLR, a genocidal militia which is integrated in the Congolese army and poses an existential security threat to Rwanda and the region – in eastern DR Congo.
The FDLR is a Rwandan terrorist group founded by remnants of the former government forces and militia that committed the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
The three-day retreat was for partner states’ ministers to discuss, among others, the state of regional peace and security as well as the regional integration process. It comes a month after Congolese president Félix Tshisekedi boycotted an extraordinary EAC Heads of State Summit held virtually on June 7 that, among others, ushered in the regional bloc’s new Secretary General, Veronica Mueni Nduva.
"It is only through cooperation and commitment to dialogue that we can overcome peace and security challenges in the region. Let us work together to strengthen our security mechanisms, promote conflict resolution, and foster a culture of peace," Nduva said at the opening of the meeting, on Saturday. "I urge us to set aside our differences, have honest dialogues, and work together to find lasting solutions to pertinent issues dragging our regional integration," she told participants at the retreat.
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The M23 which is battling a weak Congolese army, FARDC, has been making more headlines as it battles and gains more ground against its foes – the Congolese army and its allies including FDLR, European mercenaries, the Burundian army, and a host of other Congolese militia groups backed by Kinshasa.
The M23 rebels on Sunday accused the Congolese government coalition of violating a humanitarian truce negotiated to facilitate aid delivery to displaced people and allow for the safe return to their homes in North Kivu Province.
The ever worsening security situation in eastern DR Congo, particularly the increase in hostilities between a government-led coalition and the M23 rebels, has raised fears that the Great Lakes Region could be sunk into a wider conflict.
An EAC regional force (EACRF) was deployed to eastern DR Congo, in November 2022, to support an EAC-led peace process that would see the M23 withdraw.
The regional force comprising troops from Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, and South Sudan, managed to peacefully secure swathes of territory previously captured by the M23 rebels after their gradual withdrawal. In early 2023, the regional mission’s effort led to a ceasefire from March to September 2023.
However, Tshisekedi wanted it to battle the M23 rebels, or if not, leave. As such, the first EACRF force commander was forced to resign citing a threat to his personal security and "a systematic plan to frustrate” the regional force.
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In December last year, the Congolese government eventually expelled EACRF and replaced it with a SADC mission which is operating under an offensive mandate.
In March, President Paul Kagame spoke out on the exit of the EAC Regional Force and the deployment of the SADC mission (SADMIR) in eastern DR Congo, saying he was surprised by the development and "how the countries involved can be involved on such a glaringly wrong side.”
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Tshisekedi has, on various occasions, threatened to attack Rwanda which he accuses of supporting M23 rebels. Kigali dismisses the allegations and denounces the collaboration between the Congolese army and the FDLR.
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On Saturday, Tanzania's Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, January Makamba, emphasised the importance of unity among partner states, noting that unity was the catalyst of economic and social development of the region.
Makamba said: "We have the responsibility to make sure that the Community works for the people and by the people as directed by the Summit. Makamba said the bloc’s integration agenda can only succeed if peace, stability, and security are established throughout the region. He reminded his colleagues that the EAC Summit directed them to facilitate the implementation of the four pillars of integration - the Customs Union, Common Market, Monetary Union and Political Federation.
He urged the ministers to use the retreat to discuss, at length, the various issues affecting the integration process, as one family, and come up with the recommendations that will be in favour of East Africans.